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Restaurant's liquor licence suspended

Paul Bickford
Northern News Services
Monday, June 25, 2007

HAY RIVER - Diners at Hay River's Caribou Restaurant should not plan on any alcohol with their meals for the next month.

The restaurant's liquor license was suspended by the NWT Liquor Licensing Board following a June 18 show-cause hearing in Hay River.

The 30-day suspension takes effect at 10 a.m. on June 25 and ends at 10 a.m. on July 26.

The restaurant can still serve food during that time.

The suspension is the result of a March 30 routine check by a liquor inspector, who found eight bottles of wine and liquor containing small, yellow warning labels among the restaurant's stock. Such labels are only attached at liquor stores.

Under liquor regulations, a licensee must buy stock from a liquor warehouse, if there is one in the community. There is such a warehouse in Hay River. Licensee William Leung told the board that he purchased beer and liquor at the warehouse.

However, he explained some restaurant staff would occasionally take some of the stock home after work for private consumption, and replace it the next day with bottles purchased at the liquor store.

A former staff member testified that he occasionally took alcohol home and replaced it later.

Leung said he works in the kitchen and was not always aware of everything his staff was doing in the restaurant.

However, he assured the board that staff would not be removing alcohol in the future.

"I will keep my eye on it and do my best," he said.

In announcing the board's decision, chair Don Kindt said the licensee had very little control of the liquor inventory or over the actions of his staff.

"It is the responsibility of the licensee to understand and follow the Liquor Act and Regulations and to properly run a licensed premise in a manner where staff are properly supervised and understand and follow the Liquor Act and Regulations," Kindt said.

Along with the suspension, the licensee and staff are required to take a server training course and to demonstrate a proper inventory control system before the restaurant can resume selling alcohol.

Alcohol at the restaurant was also ordered returned to the liquor warehouse.